In Absentia
by Phoenix1001
Summary: What would the Wizarding World be like if Voldemort hadn’t existed? How would everyone cope without a Dark Lord ruining their lives? In response to Blackthorne6’s challenge “Harry Potter and the Mundane Life”.
1. Prologue: Beginnings 1976

Summary: What would the Wizarding World be like if Voldemort hadn't existed? How would everyone cope without a Dark Lord ruining their lives? In response to Blackthorne6's challenge "Harry Potter and the Mundane Life".

_In Absentia _

_By Phoenix1001/Phoenix Phyre_

Prologue  
Beginnings

Running down the tunnel in the direction he had come from, Severus stumbled several times. Mentally, he cursed Sirius Black for getting him into this situation, even as he cursed himself for listening to Black. As he reached the end of the tunnel, he looked back before hastily climbing the ladder out through the Whomping Willow and running to the school.

"I am sorry, Severus, but there is nothing I can do," Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore said. "There is no substantiated proof that Sirius Black led you into a dangerous situation. Unless you can supply a witness…"

"I told you, there were portraits all around that saw what happened. Ask them!" Severus snapped at the Headmaster.

"And I told _you_, Mr. Snape, that portraits cannot be used as witnesses in a court of law. Now, I understand that you are afraid that Mr. Black will attempt to harm you again and rightfully so. What he did is inexcusable. Unfortunately, I cannot expel or suspend him, but what I can do is have the staff keep a close eye on him from here on out. I will do what I can to keep you safe," Albus said. "Please, though, do not expose the fact that little Joseph Gasper is a werewolf to anyone else in this school. If it comes out in the open, current Wizengamot law is to have all werewolves executed, thanks to that toad, Delores Umbridge."

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, taking both Severus and Albus by surprise. "Come in," Albus said.

A timid-looking Remus Lupin and the shockingly beautiful Lily Evans stepped into the Headmaster's office, accompanied by Peter Pettigrew. "Ah, Lily, Remus, Peter. Good to see you children," Albus said.

"Sorry to interrupt, Headmaster, but Prof. McGonagall said we could find Severus here," Lily said. "We have something important to tell him."

"Ah, well, then. Remember what I said, Severus. I bid the four of you good night," Albus said, his eyes twinkling merrily.

"What is this about?" Severus snapped as Lily dragged him by his arm into an unused classroom near the Headmaster's office.

"We heard what happened, Severus, and wanted to apologize about it. Sirius should have never tried anything of the sort. There was sort of a large argument over it in the Common Room over it, and of course James sided with Sirius…"

*~*~* Flashback *~*~*

"How could you try to get Severus killed like that?" Lily shouted. "He has done nothing to you!"

"It's just poor little Snivellus. I don't get what you see in him… his hair is greasy and long, he wears second-hand robes, and as you saw in the courtyard last week, doesn't even seem to wash his underpants," James said.

"Like being poor is a crime," Remus spat. "I better turn myself in to the authorities, then. Or ask you to sic a werewolf on me or spin me in the air. Most of us here at Hogwarts are from middle-class families. Not everyone can be from rich upper-end families like you two. Now Sirius, tell me you will apologize to Severus!"

"Me? Apologize to Snivellus? Never!" Sirius spat.

"Well, I, for one, refuse to associate with pompous fools such as yourselves," Lily said. "Have a good life, Potter, Black." Lily stormed off to find Professor McGonagall.

"I also refuse to associate with you," Remus said, and Peter agreed with him. The two of them followed Lily out of the Common Room.

*~*~* End flashback *~*~*

"The three of us are on your side, Severus," Remus said.

"We would like to be your friends. We promise to always be by your side," Peter added, speaking for the first time since leaving the Common Room.

That really shocked Severus. Three Gryffindors siding with a Slytherin? Had Hell frozen over?

"Shocked much?" Lily laughed. "I would be if three Slytherins came up to me and said they wanted to be my loyal friends. Really though, Severus. You and I grew up together on Spinner's End. Remus went to the same Primary School as us. You should have expected that Remus and I, at least, would always side with you, regardless of House."

"While I may not have known you before Hogwarts, Severus, I trust Lily and Remus' judgment, and I will be loyal to you as long as you don't do something to betray my trust, like James and Sirius did," Peter said.

"I… thank you," Severus said, still shocked. "I promise that I will be loyal to the three of you, as well. I am sorry that you got into it with Potter, though, Lily."

"Why? He has always been an arrogant toe-rag," Lily said.

"I thought you liked him, as in like-liked him," Severus said, using a Muggle phrase he picked up in Primary School.

"Me? Like HIM? Yeah right! I like…" Lily trailed off, looking nervously toward Remus, who didn't notice her look.

"Oh… well…" Severus said. "Another mistaken assumption. How about you, Remus? Peter? Is there anyone the two of you like?"

Peter shook his head in the negative, while Remus shot a nervous look toward Lily.

"Well, there is someone," Remus said, "But what I don't know is if she likes me. Or even thinks of me in that way."

Severus chuckled and said, "Lily, do you like Remus?"

"Yes. You know I do, or else I wouldn't be friends with him," Lily said, slightly nervous.

"Do you like-like him, though?" Severus said, making a barely-noticeable gesture for Lily to look at Remus, who had a nervous expression on his face, waiting for Lily's answer.

Noticing Remus' look, she took a deep breath before saying, "Remus, I like-like you, and have since Primary School. Would you like to go on a date with me the next Hogsmeade Weekend?"

Remus let out a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding. "Of course I would like to go on a date with you, Lily. I have been in love with you for as long as I have known you…" He blushed when he realized the last thing he had said. "Well, what about you, Severus? Is there anyone YOU like?"

Severus blushed deeply and mumbled something.

"I'm sorry… we didn't catch that, Severus?" Lily said jokingly.

"Lucius," Severus repeated, a little louder this time.

"Lucius? You don't happen to mean Lucius Malfoy, do you?" Peter asked.

Severus nodded. "He graduates next year, and we have been seeing each other on and off for the last two years. He said during my seventh year, he would come and see me during every Hogsmeade weekend. I think he is really the one for me."

"That's great!" Remus said.

"Now we just need to find someone for you, Peter," Lily said.

"I'll find someone eventually. I am in no rush," Peter said.

The four of them sat down on the desks thoughtfully, before Peter spoke again. "I think we should make a pledge."

"What kind of pledge?" Severus asked.

"A pledge of friendship… to always be there for each other," Peter said.

"How is this: 'By my magic, I vow to always be there for my friends, to never betray their trust, and to always keep their secrets and uphold their honour, so mote it be!'?" Remus asked.

The other three all nodded, and the four of them knelt and took the vow. A flash of golden light lit up the room as magic accepted their vow, and the four of them promised to meet up again in the morning before heading off to bed for the night.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 1: A Time to Love

Chapter One  
A Time for Love

1979-07-31  
Scotland, United Kingdom

"Lily Evans, will you marry me?" Remus John Lupin asked nervously.

"Yes!" Lily squealed.

Remus slipped the ring he held onto Lily's petite hand before rising and embracing her.

~-~-~-~

Lily, Remus, Peter, and Severus had been out of school now for two years. On Graduation Day, 1977, Lucius Malfoy made a surprise visit to the ceremony, shocking the entire graduating class _and_ the staff and faculty by proposing to one Severus Snape.

On the 31st of July that year, they were married with Nicholas Flamel officiating. Lily and Peter acted as witnesses, and Remus was Severus' best man. Nine and a half months later came their first child, a girl that they names Lucy Daisy Snape-Malfoy.

Now, two years later, Lily and Remus were engaged, and Severus and Lucius just found out that Severus was two weeks pregnant with their second child. Only being two weeks along, it was too soon to find out the sex of the child, but they were hoping for a boy this time.

Lucius promised Lily that he would get Nicholas Flamel to officiate her and Remus' wedding, and that he and Severus would act as witnesses. He also promised that they would act as godparents for any children that Remus and Lily had.

~-~-~-~

"Peter, what in Merlin's name is going on with you? You keep spacing out over there," Lily said, clearly worried about her friend.

"I just keep getting these flashes of a little girl. It's always the same girl, I can tell, but her hair colour and appearance changes. She is always playing in a Muggle park that looks familiar, and there are some other kids playing with her. All of them, including her, look to be about four or five years old. In this flash, or vision, or whatever you want to call it, she ran up to a lady who looks like she could be Cissy Black's sister and called her 'Mummy'."

"Hmmm…." Remus said speculatively. "I know that Bellatrix is married, but she is childless. It has to be Andromeda's child, Nymphadora. She would be about five, right, Lily?"

"Yes. She is a Metamorphmagus, which would be why she looks different each time you have one of these visions. I also have an idea of _why_ you are having them," Lily said.

"You always do have explanations, and they are usually correct," Peter said. "Now, what's causing it, and how do I stop it?"

"Well, it sounds like there is a Soul Mate bond between you and Nymphadora. The most common way of stopping the visions is to consummate the bond –" Lily said.

"WHAT?!? Do… _that_… with a five-year-old?" Peter said incredulously.

"_But_ in cases such as these, where one of the partners in the bond, or both, are physically immature, to consummate, then there are alternatives. For instance, a blood betrothal contract should work," Lily said.

"Good. I wouldn't want to be a child molester, even if the other person _is_ my Soul Mate," Peter said. "Rather, especially since it is my Soul Mate."

"Hey," Remus interjected suddenly. "Where's Severus and Lucius?"

Lily and Peter shrugged, and the topic of the three's conversation turned to Remus' and Lily's upcoming wedding.

TBC…

A/N: I know, this is basically cannon fodder. Background info which is necessary, but fodder nonetheless. Also, the last part of the chapter, where Remus asked of Sev and Lucius, was inspired by the nonsequitor from the Disney Channel show _Phineas and Ferb_, where Phineas always asks where Perry is.


End file.
